Aligning and supporting means for loading apparatus pans



April 5, 1932- J. R. STEWART ET AL 1,852,488

ALGNNG AND SUPPORTING MEANS FOR LOADING APPARATUS FANS Filed Sept. 29, 1931 J fen/arf Patented Apr. 5, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN R. `S'IEWAJLUI ANI) WILLIAM L. HILL, OF TRINIDAD, COLORADO .ALIGNING AND SUPPORTING MEANS FOR LOADING APPARATUS PANS Application filed September 29, 1931.

j This invention relates to coal loading apoaratus of that type used in mines and emodying a line of reciprocating pans.

The invention has for one of its objects to provide novel means which shall be adapted to prevent the bulking of the pans at their points of connection, which shall be adapted to prevent the side swinging of the pans, and which shall also be adapted to support the pans at the proper height when the bottom of the mine is uneven, to the end that the objectionable vfeatures of coal loading apparatus of the character stated may be eliminated, and to the end that the efficiency of such apparat-us may be materially increased.

The invention has for a further object to provide means of the character stated which shall be simple and inexpensive and capable ot' being readily installed in the mine at the required points in the line of pans.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the nature of which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the construction, combination and ar` rangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a View in side elevation illustrating the application of the means for maintaining the pans in aligned relation and at the proper height from the bottoni of the mine, and j Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 2-2 ofvFni nre 1. if

Referring in detail to the drawings, 1 designates fragmentary portions of two adjacent pans of a coal loading apparatus, designates the means by which the adjacent ends of the pans are connected together, and 3 designates the rocker cradles tor supporting the pans.

The means for maintainimg` the pans 1 in properly aligned relation and Jfor supporting them at the proper height above the bottom ot the mine, comprises standards 4t arranged at opposite sides oi the pans 1 and engaged with the bottom 5 and top 6 of the mine. The standards 4 comprise telescopi-- cally associated hollow lower sections 7 and Serial No. 565,892.

be turned to adjust the standard sections 8 upwardly or downwardly with relation to the standard sections 7 to the end that the standards 4 may be adjusted to the required height and also to the end that the prongs 9 and 10 may be forced into the bottom 5 and top lower ends by a tie bar 13 which passes freely through the standard sections 7 and upon which are mounted nuts 14: engaged with the inner and outer sides of these standard sections. The nuts 14 are adjustable in the tie bar 13 in order to enable the standards 4 to be adjusted toward and away from each other and thus arrange the standards at the required distance apart. j

Collars 15 are mounted upon the standard u sections 7 above the tie bar 13. The collars 15 are adjustable upwardly and downwardly on the standard sections 7, and are secured in adjusted position by set screws 16 carried thereby and engaging the standard sections. C

A shaft 1? which carries a pan supporting roller 18 is arranged between the standard sections 7, and is journaled at its ends in bearings 19 carried by the collars 15. The shai't .17 is provided at its ends with annular shoulders 20 which fit in similar recesses 21 termed in the bearings 19 to hold the shaft against endwise displacement from the bear- 6. The standards 4 are connected near their ings, and the bearings are open at their upper j sides to permit the shaft to be readily applied thereto or removed therefrom.

Collars 22 are mounted upon the standard sections 7 above the collars 15, and are adjustable upwardly and downwardly on the standard sections and are secured in adjusted position thereon by set screws 28. The collars 22 are provided at their inner` ends with trunnions 24 upon which are mounted rollers 25 for contact with the upper edges of the pans 1.

In practice, as many of the means are employed as are necessary to prevent the pans 1 from bulking at their points of connection, to hold the pans against side swinging, and to support the pans at the proper height above the bottom of the mine. The standard 4 of each means is arranged at opposite sides of a pan, and after being secured to the bottom 5 and top 6 are connected by the tie bar 13. rFhe standards 4 are secured in place with the collars 15 arranged thereon at a point Lbelow the height of which the pan is to be supported. After the shaft 17 carrying the roller 18, has been engaged with the bearings 19 of the collars 15, the collars are moved upwardly on thestandards 4 to carry the roller into contact with the bottom of the pan, and are secured in their'adjusted position by the set screws 16. The standards 4 are also placed in position with the collars 22 above the upper edges of the sides of the pan, and after the application of the shaft 1T to its bearings, the collars 22 are moved downwardly upon the standards 4 to position the collars 25 in contact with the upper edges of the sides of the pan, and the rollers are secured in their adjusted position by the set screws 23. rlhe roller 18 may be adjusted upwardly and downwardly on the standards 4 to compensate for any unevenness in the bottom of the mine. The rollers 25 hold the pans 1 against the rollers 18, and in view thereof the pans are held against bulking at their points of connection. Furthermore, the rollers 18 and 25 hold the pans against lateral swaying. Y

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be understood that the means forming thesubject-matter of this application will prevent the pans fro-m bulking and swaying and will also support the pans at the proper height from the bottom of the mine, and thus insures the efficient operation of the coal loading apparatus.

Vhilewe have described the principle of our invention, together with the structure which we now consider the preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that the structure shown is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made, when desired, as fall Within the scope o-f the invention as claimed.

Vhat is claimed is 1. Means for supporting and maintaining the pans of loading apparatus in alignment, comprising standards arranged at opposite sides of the pans, pan supporting rollers journaled on the standards, and Imeans carried by the standards and contacting with the opposite upper edges of the pans to hold the latter on the rollers.

2. Means for supporting and maintaining the pans of loading apparatus in alignment, comprising standards arranged at opposite sides of the pans, pan supporting rollers journaled on the standards, and rollers ournaled on the standards and contacting with the opposite upper edges of the pans to hold them on said vfirst rollers. Y

3. Means for supporting and maintaining the pans of loading apparatus in alignment, comprising standards arranged at opposite sides o-f the pans, pan supporting rollers, roll-er supporting means adj ustablevertically on the standards, rollers'for contact with the pans to hold them on said first rollers, `and means for supporting said last rollers adjustable vertically on the standards. Y

4. Means for supporting andmaintaining the pans of loading apparatus in alignment, including a pair of standards adjustable as to length, a pan supporting roller arranged between the standards, means rotatably supporting the roller from the standards, rollers for contact with the pans to hold them on said first rollers, and means rotatably su f porting said last rollers from the standar s.

5. Means for supporting and maintaining the pans of Vloading apparatusin alignment, including a pair of standards adjustable as to length, a pan supporting roller arranged between the standards, means rotatably supporting the roller from the standards, rollers j fo-r contact with the pans to hold them on said first rollers, means rotatably supportin said last rollers from the standards, said roller supporting means being adjustable vertically and independently on the standards, and means for securing said roller supporting means in adjusted position on the standards. Y

6. Means for supporting and lmaintaining the pans of loading apparatus in alignment,

including a pairV of standards, a tie bar connecting the standards, a pan supportingroller located between and journaled on the standards, and rollers j ournaled on the standards above said first roller for contact with 1.

the upper side edges of the pan to hold it on said first roller.

7. Means for supporting and maintaining the pans of'loading apparatus in alignment, including a pair of standards adjustable as to length and provided at its upper and lower ends with prongs, a tie bar connecting the standards for adjustment toward 'and away from each other, collars adjustable vertically on the standards, means for securing the rollers in adjusted position, a shaft located between and journaled on the collars, a pan supporting roller carried by the shaft, other collars ustable vertically on the standards,

signatures.

JOHN R. STEWART. WILLIAM L. HILL. 

